#40: Jacob's Dream

Genesis 28:10-15

Jacob left Beersheba and set out for Harran. When he reached a certain place, he stopped for the night because the sun had set. Taking one of the stones there, he put it under his head and lay down to sleep. He had a dream in which he saw a stairway resting on the earth, with its top reaching to heaven, and the angels of God were ascending and descending on it. There above it stood the Lord, and he said: “I am the Lord, the God of your father Abraham and the God of Isaac. I will give you and your descendants the land on which you are lying. Your descendants will be like the dust of the earth, and you will spread out to the west and to the east, to the north and to the south. All peoples on earth will be blessed through you and your offspring. I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go, and I will bring you back to this land. I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.”

Comments

Jacob’s journey was the opposite of his grandfather Abraham’s. God told Abraham to leave Harran and go to the Promised Land where his son, Isaac, would be born. Isaac told his son, Jacob, to leave the Promised Land and go to Harran where he would find a wife and start a family. Abraham journeyed in faith, believing in God’s promise; Jacob journeyed in fear, believing Esau would kill him for stealing his birthright and his father’s blessing.

Not long into the journey, everything changed for Jacob when God appeared to him in a dream and renewed the promise given to Abraham. Jacob had schemed to get his brother’s birthright and his father’s blessing. God promised far more: not only would Jacob be blessed, but all nations would be blessed through him.

Reflections

The stone pillow on which Jacob slept could hardly have been comfortable and yet Jacob was probably grateful for any rest he could get while running for his life from his brother. Have you ever found rest and comfort in a time of hardship and stress? 

God’s promise to be with Jacob and watch over him wherever he went might have been both comforting and troubling. After all, it is nice to know God is with you, but it also means you can no longer lie, cheat and steal with impunity. How often do you sense God’s presence? Is God’s presence in your life more often accompanied by grace or by judgment?

Prayer

Blessed are you, O Lord our God, King of the universe, whose presence brings grace and truth in every journey.